Literature
in
and Art.
405
It is evident that a drama of this inqnifitorial character is a dangerous
thing, and that it could hardly be allowed to exiit where the rights of
fociety are properly defined; and we are not furprlfed if Foote provoked
a hoft of bitter enemies. But in fome cafes the author met with punifh-
ment of a heavier and more fubflantial defcription. One of the individuals
introduced into " The Maid of Bath," extorted damages to the amount
of 53,000. One of the perfons who figured in " The Author," obtained
an order from the lord chamberlain for putting a flop to the performance
after it had had a fhort run; and the confequences of " The Trip to
Calais," were ftill more difaftrous. It is well known that the character of
lady Kitty Crocodile in that play was a broad caricature on the notorious
duchefs of Kingfton. Through the treachery of fome of the people
employed by Foote, the duchefs obtained information of the nature of
this play before it was ready for reprefentation, and {he had fuflicient
influence to obtain the lord chamberlain's prohibition for bringing it on
the ftage. Nor was this all, for as the play was printed, if not aited,-and
it was fubfequently brought out in a modified form, with ornifiion of the
part of lady Kitty Crocodile, though the charaoters of fome of her agents
were {till retained,-infamous charges were got up againft Foote, in
retaliation, which caufed him fo much trouble and grief, that they are
faid to have fhortened his days.
The drama which Samuel Foote had invented did not outlive him;
its caricature was itfelf transferred to the caricature of the print-fhop.